WESSON — The Wesson Cobra boys and girls basketball teams kickoff their 2005-06 season Monday night in the North Pike Tournament.The girls play at 5:30 p.m. followed by the boys at 7 against thehost North Pike Jaguars.

The tournament originally included Loyd Star and Tylertown. LoydStar pulled out and it became a three-team tourney. North Pike andTylertown play Tuesday. Wesson and North Pike will play four juniorhigh games Tuesday at the Middle School.

The Wesson boys, coached by Ron Kessler,finished last season with the best record in the school’s history,20 wins and 11 losses. The Cobras finished third in Division6-2A.

“We are looking real good,” said Kessler. “We played against ourformer players in a scrimmage and we beat them. We are short-handeduntil we get our football players.”

Several members of the Cobra basketball team are playingfootball and won’t be available until the season is over.

“We have had great summer and preseason workouts,” addedKessler. “We are heavily guard oriented. We are a better shootingteam better than last year. We are going to be a better reboundingteam than last year. We lost three good ball handlers.”

Kessler talked more about the starters for this season.

“Brandt Hood is going to be a point guard leader,” explainedKessler. “Adrian King will be one of our captains. Adrian isplaying guard and post. He can step out and shoot the three. He hasreally worked on his game.”

Kessler said he and King attended an Iowa Hawkeyes camp lastsummer and King has worked on his game. “We are looking forward towatching him play.”

Kessler lost four talented seniors starters to graduation. Theyinclude Colin King, Blake Pickett, Adrian Merchant and WadeWilliams.

Assisting Kessler is Mike Hux.

The Wesson girls finished last season 12-15under head coach Jemmye Ann Helms. The Lady Cobras lost fourseniors to graduation, including starter Megan Allen and reservesShanell Adams, Kira Turnbo and Elizabeth Delaughter.

“We are getting better,” stated Helms. “My five and six men lookvery good. We have six that can go pretty hard right. We don’t havea lot of depth. We should get better as they year goes on.”

With a lack of height on this year’s squad, the Lady Cobras aregoing to have to rebound and play better defense to besuccessful.

“We will be a little bit smaller,” explained Helms. “We aregoing to have to do a better job blocking out and rebounding. Weare going to be a lot quicker.”

“We can shoot the outside shot,” added Helms. Guards AlexisCrosby, a junior, and Perry Katherine Furr, a sophomore, are the3-point threats. Crosby set a school record of six treys in onegame last season.

Seniors Bethany Dykes, Sam Ellison and Christy Watson will bringa lot of varsity experience.

New to the Wesson team is transfer Lalita Payre from NewOrleans. Payre, a 6-foot-1 junior, played volleyball in New Orleansand is learning the game of basketball. Her 6-1 height will be anasset on the boards.

Assisting Helms is Anita Dudley.